On to Kinsale
15 July 2016
Alan
It was a slow passage south to Kinsale from Dun Laoghaire giving us two nights at sea when in other conditions it might have been only one. The first half of the passage south down the Irish east coast to Tuskar Rock was made in good time thanks to a westerly breeze off the land, but as we turned to the west after a seaward rounding of the Rock that westerly was coming directly from where we wished to go along the south coast. We hardened in the sheets, set the windvane steering and turned towards the southwest at about 0500hrs on Tuesday with a glorious sunrise over the stern. There then followed almost exactly twenty four hours of tacking towards our destination, making the best of any wind shifts and dodging the occasional isolated heavy shower which tend to play havoc with the wind. We went into the second night with a reef in the mainsail, both with those showers in mind and with a view to slowing down so that we would have a dawn arrival. And after a rather pleasant, mostly moonlit night, we were just a few miles south of the Old Head of Kinsale as the sun did another spectacular appearance in the northeast. We duly tacked to the north and then did something that we really like to do if the opportunity presents. Instead of going directly into a harbour or marina after a passage we sought a nice anchorage not too far away from the ultimate destination. On a rather lovely Wednesday morning there was such an anchorage available to us on the east side of the Old Head of Kinsale headland in the form of Holeopen Bay, with complete shelter from the west. And we had it to ourselves to share with the birds still in small colonies on the cliffs. Once the anchor was set it was on with the kettle and after a nice cup of tea some serious snoozing in the sun-drenched cockpit was the next item on the agenda. We remained in Holeopen Bay until the following morning, Thursday, when we entered Kinsale Harbour under sail to berth at Castlepark Marina. Then quite unexpectedly, in the evening we had a call from Alistair Buchanan, our rigger in Kip, asking if we were on board. When we confirmed we were he said come up into the cockpit and look across the harbour from where I am waving to you! And so he was. He is apparently crewing on 'Prime Suspect', a race boat from Kip taking part in Cork Week, which after a first placing is clearly picking up silverware. On an evening stroll in Kinsale he recognised 'Kiviuq' from over the water. All being well we will have lunch together tomorrow before Alistair flies home.
Now, for a reconnaissance of Kinsale.
